Your eyes are not cameras—they are clocks. Every cell and organ in your body is orchestrated by the light you let in, making light the most powerful regulator of health. More than ever, I believe the “light diet” is a foundational lifestyle change in the fight against chronic disease. That’s why today’s guest is one of the most important I’ve had—a true pioneer in the science of light and health.
Dr. Martin Moore-Ede is a world-renowned circadian biology expert with over four decades of research on how light affects sleep, fatigue, and chronic diseases. As a former Harvard Medical School professor, he helped discover the brain’s master clock—the suprachiasmatic nucleus—and authored the bestselling The Clocks That Time Us. In 1983, he founded CIRCADIAN®, a global firm optimizing 24/7 workforce performance, and later launched CIRCADIAN Light and CIRCADIAN ZircLight to counter the health risks of artificial lighting.
In this episode, we explore:
- How proper light exposure can increase lifespan by up to five years—and how being “dumb with light” is now correlated with everything from cancer and diabetes to autoimmune and psychiatric disorders.
- When to wake up, how much outdoor light we need daily, the massive difference in lux between indoor and outdoor light, and the critical role of the brain’s internal clock.
- Why early sunlight matters, and how flawed studies distorted our understanding of sunlight and cataracts.
- The rise in breast cancer since widespread electrification—now 70x more common.
- How hospital window placement can influence recovery from depression and anxiety by up to 50%.
- Why Dr. Moore-Ede gets outside every day—rain, sun, or snow—without sunglasses or eyewear.
Whether you're new to circadian science or already light-aware, this episode will shift how you think about health.
Contact and Resources:
Website – thelightdoctor.com
Website – bluesafe24.com
Website – circadianlight.org
Referenced Studies Mentioned:
- Gbyl K et al. (2016). Southeast-facing hospital rooms and faster discharge. Neuropsychobiology.
- Farahmand B et al. (2009). Golf and reduced mortality. Scand J Med Sci Sports.
- Boubekri M et al. (2014). Daylight improves health and sleep in office workers. J Clin Sleep Med.
- Teicher MH et al. (2023). Bright light therapy boosts brain function in adolescents. PLoS One.
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